Board meetings Thursday, next Tuesday
A reminder that the Board of Education has added two meetings to its September schedule to address the district's reopening plans and the drastic budget reductions that have become necessary due to an estimated loss of $18.8 million-$25.6 million in state and federal aid for the 2020-21 school year.
The board will meet Thursday and next Tuesday. Both meetings will be held at Albany School of Humanities (ASH), 108 Whitehall Road, and also live-streamed beginning at 6:30 p.m. If you plan to attend the meeting in-person, please plan to wear a mask and practice appropriate social distancing.
Calendar, schedule updates for September
The 2020-21 school year in the City School District of Albany will begin Wednesday, Sept. 9 with a partial day of virtual orientation for all students.
The first days of in-person attendance for students who are enrolled in that model will be during the week of Sept. 21-25, also partial days. The first full-day of in-person attendance will be Tuesday, Sept. 29.
Please visit our From the Superintendent section and watch your mailbox for more information about students schedules and teacher assignments for the upcoming school year. Please know that we are doing our best in this challenging environment to provide you with the information you need in a timely manner so you can plan for the start of the new year.
County offers immunization appointments
With the new school year approaching, a reminder that students need to meet all immunization requirements to attend school, whether it’s in-person or virtually.
The Albany County Health Department is opening for immunization appointments. You can call (518) 447-4589 to schedule an appointment. Your child’s doctor’s office also is able to schedule your child for an appointment to get the required immunizations now.
New York has strict rules regarding immunizations, and children who are missing required immunizations will not be allowed to go to school beyond the first 14 days. Some things to note:
- Most kindergartners need their booster shots if they didn't get them at age 4
- Sixth-graders need a Tetanus/pertussis shot: Tdap
- Since students also need a meningitis shot in seventh grade, you can save time and ask for both at this visit
- Seventh-graders need a meningitis shot: MCV4
- Seniors need a second dose of meningitis MCV4 if they are 16 or older
- So if they are at the doctor and are 16 years old, no matter what grade they are in at school, ask to get the MCV4 so you don't need to make a special trip for that immunization later.
Your doctor will know which immunizations your child is due for, but you also can reach out to your school nurse if you have any questions or would like more information.
Quick tips on how to make a face covering at home
In need of a face covering before leaving home and don’t have a clean one handy? Check out this video advice from U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams on a quick and easy way to make one at home to help keep yourself healthy and safe, and to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Social-emotional supports
In our continued emphasis on addressing social-emotional needs for the upcoming school year, the district's Pupil Personnel Services Department is sharing a series of resources to help employees, students and families cope during this unsettling time.
The New York State School Mental Health Resource and Training Center compiled a variety of resources to assist families and students in learning more about mental health. Be sure to check out the organization’s monthly family education webinar and Virtual Wellness Room, which provides activities students can use to practice mindfulness and stress relief. You can sign up for a webinar that will be offered this Thursday at 7:30 p.m. -- "Reflecting, Rethinking and Responding to Support Student Mental Health and Wellness: A panel of Parents and Caregivers."
We have additional information and resources in the Social-Emotional Well-Being section of our 2020-21 Reopening Plan.
